


Mistakes

by ScarletteWrites



Category: Transformers - All Media Types, Transformers: Cyberverse
Genre: Angst, Arguing, Break Up, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Heavy Drinking, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Other, Pre-War, implied PTSD
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-29
Updated: 2019-03-29
Packaged: 2019-12-26 07:57:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,261
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18279047
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ScarletteWrites/pseuds/ScarletteWrites
Summary: Cyberverse SkyStar, Headcanon heavy.Jetfire and Starscream choose their sides in the quickly coming war. And it's not easy for either of them.





	Mistakes

**Author's Note:**

> tw: alcohol

Starscream was tired. He’d spent days dragging the damned Camien around Cybertron and all he’d managed to do was get himself in more trouble with Megatron. Star snorted, he should’ve known better than to punish Starscream’s ‘attitude problems’ with community service. Despite that he’d managed to get himself polished up and headed down for his weekly meetup with his co-worker/on again off again partner.

They’d organised a meetup at Maccadam’s, as it was the only place they could go without Starscream being harassed by his fellow Decepticons. At least, that had been the reason Jetfire had given. Starscream figured the soft scientist was embarrassed of being seen with a  _ dangerous seeker. _

Whatever the reason, Jetfire could at least have given him the basic courtesy of not being late.

Starscream had been waiting several minutes already - having already ordered and received his energon despite the place being busier than usual. To add a bonus layer of awful - Soundwave had followed him and was staring him down from the other side of the bar. Starscream made sure to flip him off when he was sure everyone’s attention was somewhere else.

“Sorry I’m late.” Jetfire’s gentle voice murmured, turning Starscream’s attention to the seat next to him.

Starscream glared him down, Jetfire watched him for a moment before sighing, “You’re mad.”

Starscream didn’t answer.

Jetfire rolled his optics, “Starscream. I was speaking with Perceptor and you know how he is-”

“Well, you weren’t.” Starscream said sharply, “Because he just left five minutes ago with that teal fellow.”

“Wait, Brainstorm was here?”

“Don’t change the subject.”

Jetfire sighed again, rubbing his face with his servos. Starscream wondered if he had the right to be jealous, since they weren’t  _ technically  _ dating - neither of them really wanted to put words to what they had, especially at a time like this - and thus hadn’t specified if they were exclusive. Starscream felt a little ill at the idea of Jetfire being with anyone else.

Jetfire leaned over to grab his servo, Starscream complied, but offered a slight resistance. Not because he didn’t want Jetfire to hold his hand, but because he didn’t want Jetfire to know he wanted him to hold his hand.

“What?” Starscream managed to snap out, the anger ruined by the soft crack in his voice.

Jetfire smiled, “I missed you.”

Starscream’s spark hitched. He could tell he was trying to change the subject - but still, a confession like that was rather rare in their turbulent relationship. Jetfire didn’t often have to leave, but when he did he would be gone for months - sometimes  _ years  _ \- at a time. He’d ran off a few months ago to collect some samples from some local systems, he didn’t discuss specifics as the organic life Jetfire preferred to work with squicked Starscream out.

Starscream had to look to the ground, face flushing with embarrassment, “Though it  _ pains  _ me to admit it… I missed you as well.”

Jetfire gently cupped his face and, in a moment of weakness Starscream let him. It had been so long since they’d been together - even before leaving, Jetfire would often have to skip on their meetups to catch up to obscene deadlines. Starscream allowed a small, genuine smile to slip onto his face.

Jetfire flinched, taking his hand back. Starscream’s serene expression dropped into a frown.

“I’m sorry.” Jetfire said, “That was inappropriate.”

Starscream tilted his head, “You can’t be serious.”

“Starscream…” Jetfire began, awkwardly stumbling over his words, “There’s… something I need to tell you. Something important.”

Starscream leaned into one of his servo’s, using the other to swirl his drink around, “If this is a break-up, I’m a big bot. I can take it.” He said, covering up the little cracks in his spark with expertise.

“What - no!” Jetfire exclaimed. Starscream had to hold in a sigh of relief, lest it give away the act. “Starscream, I-”

“Jetfire.” A familiar voice interrupted. Starscream looked up to see the obnoxious visage of Optimus Prime standing over their table, “Is everything alright?”

Jetfire groaned. Starscream quirked a brow, “I don’t see how any of this is your business,  _ Prime. _ So I suggest returning to your own table.”

Optimus Prime didn’t so much as blink in Starscream’s direction.

“Prick.” Starscream muttered into his drink.

“Optimus, please.” Jetfire said. That seemed to be enough to get the nosy fragger to leave.

Starscream huffed, “Great. Can’t wait to be grilled by Soundwave about  _ that  _ when I get back.”   
Jetfire paused, glancing around the room quickly. He turned back to Starscream, “I think we should have this conversation somewhere… private.” Starscream wriggled his brows and Jetfire gave a little huff of annoyance, “Not like that.”

Starscream left with him anyways, and if he forgot they were holding hands well… it wasn’t his fault.

 

* * *

 

Jetfire had dragged Starscream back to his personal hab, the entire time Jetfire had been looking around like he thought someone was watching him. It was beginning to freak Starscream out a little.

“What’s the matter with you?” Starscream asked, jabbing a digit into Jetfire’s cockpit, “This isn’t like you.”

Jetfire huffed, grabbing Star’s wrist and moving it away from his chest, “...Optimus and Megatron had a fight.”

Starscream growled, snatching his servo back, “Oh, that’s what got you all paranoid?” He hissed, “Optimus and Megatron have never managed to be in the  _ same room _ without arguing.”

“Star. I mean a  _ fight. _ ” Jetfire said, “Optimus is going to form his own fraction… there’s going to be a war, Starscream.”

Starscream rolled his optics, already aware of that little fiasco, “It’s not going to be a war. It’ll be a curb-stomp.” Starscream replied, “Optimus isn’t a fighter - and no one dumb enough to join him is.”

Jetfire stiffened, looking down at Starscream. The jet was suddenly very much aware of how larger Jetfire was than him, and for a brief moment was the slightest bit frightened. “Starscream.” He rumbled, “ _ I’m _ going with Optimus.”

The fear flooded out of Starscream’s systems and was replaced with white, hot rage, “What?” He snarled, “You can’t be serious! Jetfire, I’m the second-in-command of the Decepticons! Why would you-”

“I’m doing the right thing, Star!” Jetfire interrupted, “Megatron - he wants nothing more than power and control, you’re blinded by-”

“Don’t you dare-” Starscream stepped forward, grabbing the top of Jetfire’s cockpit and pulling him down, “-Imply that brute has anything over on me.” 

“Starscream.” Jetfire said, surprisingly calm, “I didn’t ask you here to insult you, or your intelligence. I want you to come with us. With me.”

“You haven’t seen the suffering I went through to get where I am, and I won’t throw that away for anyone,” He paused, letting go and backing away, “Not even you.”

“Star,” Jetfire said, “You’re making a mistake.”

“It’s still mine to make.” Starscream snapped back, turning away from him.

Starscream began to walk out the door and Jetfire, meaning well and self-assured he was doing the right thing, reached out and attempted to grab his arm. Starscream panicked, and muscle memory set in. He wasn’t in Jetfire’s hab, he was in the arena, and Megatron had grabbed him, and if he didn’t do anything he was going to die. So he fired his null ray directly into his attacker's leg.

By the time Starscream had came back to his senses, Jetfire was on the floor. The attack hadn’t gone through the shuttle’s thick plating - there was a mere scorch mark on his leg - but that didn’t change the what had happened. Starscream had attacked Jetfire.

Starscream bolted out the door, and had already transformed and was into the sky when Jetfire called out to him.

 

* * *

 

Starscream was a smart mech - he’d always been in the top three during his science academy days and had been one of the best seekers to come out of the war academy. Both things he was very proud of. He was tactical, cunning and most importantly, level-headed. Or so he had thought.

In a moment of brief panic he’d lost his senses, and now he’d ruined the greatest relationship he ever had.

Starscream didn’t get sad very often, as he prefered anger. Being angry was more productive. But he couldn’t be angry - because there was no one to blame but himself. So Starscream turned to the next best thing: he’d pulled out his strongest bottle from his engex and started drinking.

Because drinking your sadness away was always a wonderful idea.

Around the third bottle (whatever Skywarp had given him for graduation, it was disgusting but smelled strong) the overwhelming sadness was beginning to be softened by a buzz, but Starscream was determined to continue drinking until he forgot who he was. Or died. Whichever came first.

He’d finished Skywarp’s bottle and moved onto something shiny his old amica back in Vos got him. He’d given up pouring the engex into glasses a while ago, so he brought the bottle up to his lips and drank. It was good, his ex-amica knew his tastes better than Skywarp did.

Halfway through that bottle, Soundwave’s awful mug strolled in through his door. Starscream shrieked in surprise, had he’d properly been in his right mind he might’ve found the situation embarrassing - being huddled over a hidden cabinet in his hab, surrounded by engex bottles - but then all he could feel was annoyance.

“Oh,” Starscream growled, “It’s  _ you. _ ”

Soundwave closed the door behind him and turned the lights up slightly. He walked to Starscream, and towered over the mech. Completely silent.

Starscream rolled his optics, “ _ What? _ ”

“You are the Decepticon Second-in-Command,” Soundwave hissed, snatching the bottle from Starscream’s servo, “Not some sparkbroken newbuild.”

Starscream stood up shakily, “And  _ you’re  _ not my creator - what I do in my free time is none of your concern.” He tried reaching for the bottle.

Soundwave held it up higher, using the slight height difference to his advantage, “No.” He said sternly. The tone he would use when the twins would refuse to cooperate.

Strangely enough, Starscream listened. The seeker pouted and sat back down, almost curling in on himself, “Why do you even  _ care? _ So what if I’m a drunk mess - or- or I die, what does it matter to you?”

Soundwave placed the bottle on top the the cabinet - just out of Starscream’s reach - and leaned down. He gently pried Starscream’s arms away from his face. Starscream, childish as ever, didn’t look up at him. So Soundwave placed one servo under his chin and forced the seeker to look up.

“You’re my friend.” Soundwave said. The statement wasn’t necessarily true - though, not entirely inaccurate. Soundwave had been the one to recruit Starscream, when he was young, naive and filled with so much energy. Soundwave had seen Starscream change so much and after so long of having to ‘watch over him’ Soundwave had become the slightest bit protective - almost as if Starscream was a wayward member of his cassettes.

Starscream seemed shocked at the reply, which Soundwave used to his advantage. He hoisted up the younger mech, throwing him over his shoulder, and began dragging Starscream towards his berth. Starscream didn’t complain.

 

* * *

 

The next morning came. Soundwave woke up and stretched, popping his joints out of their uncomfortable positions. Soundwave wasn’t a fan of recharging on the ground, but like slag was he going to crawl into berth with Starscream. Ravage didn’t seem to have the same reservations as her carrier though, he could see her under Starscream’s arm. It was strange how calm and young the seeker looked when he was recharging, and it was kind of cute how he’d clearly been the one to pull Ravage in for a hug. When Ravage noticed he was awake she sent a brief message explaining she was just making sure he wouldn’t vomit and drown in his recharge.

Soundwave just shook his head. Starscream was certainly part of his family.

He considered re-calling his cassette and just leaving, but Soundwave felt bad. Something had clearly happened to the seeker that caused him to behave so strangely. The mech decided to sit on the berth - far enough away so that he and Starscream were not touching - and pulled out a datapad.

He’d almost managed to complete an entire chapter before Starscream began to stir. Soundwave made sure to bookmark his place and put the datapad back into his subspace. Once the seeker began stretching Ravage had slipped out from under his arm and slinked out the door - no doubt intending on investigating Starscream’s hab whilst she had the chance. Soundwave let her, should she get caught he would not defend her though.

When Starscream’s optics onlined, he groaned. He sat up and placed his helm in his hands, rubbing his optics. Starscream removed his hands, and glanced over to Soundwave. The seeker yelped, almost falling off the berth. Soundwave held in a laugh.

“Oh Primus…” Starscream murmured, looking at Soundwave like a cyberdeer on a racetrack, “I didn’t…”

“No.” Soundwave replied, “I have standards.”

Starscream huffed, and Soundwave spotted a small smile flick briefly across his face. The seeker flopped onto his cockpit burying his face in his arms, “I feel terrible. I’m never drinking again.”

Soundwave smiled behind his mask, gently giving the seeker a small pat on the back. He didn’t feel comfortable asking Starscream to tell him what happened, but Soundwave would stay until he was asked to leave - and if Starscream wanted to tell him what happened, he would listen. Otherwise, he’d always try and be there to pull the seeker back up when he inevitably falls - because that is how Starscream is.


End file.
